House increases penalties for tunneling under U.S.-Mexico border

Republicans and Democrats in the House dropped the partisan rancor today to pass a bill that would strengthen criminal penalties for those convicted of tunneling under the border between the United States and Mexico.

Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-El Paso, said his border tunnel bill would strengthen existing legislation and could criminalize the construction and financing of tunnels into the United States from Mexico.

“Under current law, attempting or conspiring to use, construct or finance a cross-border tunnel is not prohibited,” Reyes said, adding that his bill would “close these loopholes.”

The bill passed overwhelmingly, 416 to 4. A Senate version of the bill passed earlier this year.

“Our border states know all too well how criminals will stop at nothing to get drugs, weapons or people across, or even under, our borders,” said Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., the sponsor of the Senate bill.

The legislation now heads to the White House for President Barack Obama’s signature.

Reyes worked with Rep. Lamar Smith, R-San Antonio, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, on the bipartisan bill.

The Judiciary Committee approved the bill in March.

Although tunneling has not be pervasive in South Texas where the Rio Grande flows deeper and wider, tunnels have been used in El Paso and along the border in portions of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California.

The bill authored by Reyes would make it easier to prosecute those who finance the construction of the tunnels, and allow the United States to seize cash and merchandise found in the illegal channels.